Lubricating device



May 25, l94. F. A. GILL 29442,?-65

y LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 14, 1945 4 sheets-sheet 1 May :25,` 194s. F, A, @ILL 2,442,166

LUBRI CATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 14, 1945 4 sheets-sheet'z May 25, 1948, F. A. Gm. 4429156 JUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 14, 1945 4 sheets-sheet 5 May 25, 1948. F, A GILL 2,442,166

LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 14, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @MM M/QMM V MW/zeges- Patented May 25, Y1948 UNITED 'STATES PAT ENT yUFFICI?.

LUBRICATING DEVICE Ferdinand A. Gill, Chicago, Ill.-

Application February 14, 1945, Serial No. 577,785

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a 'lubricating device. More specically, this invention relates tora lubricating device which may be used for .lubricating the working parts of various power-operated machines, apparatus :and devices.

One of the difficulties heretofore experienced irl-connection with'the use' of vautomatic lubricating' devices is that :they have', in general, b'een driven Afrom or :operated by camor other mechanisms operated 'by the machine or device which they were intended to lubric'ate Vand hence depended, ir`1-part,at least, upon th'esuccessful operation of such machine or device for theV .proper performance of their lubricating function. One di'i'culty experienced in this connection'has 4been that in 'the event of failure of those parts of the machinev or device whi'ch controlled 'the operation of the lubricating device lthe' latter, in turn, would also fail' to perform its lubricating function even though vthe machine or device which it was intended to lubricate would continue to operate', thereby creating a hazardous condition resulting in burnt-out' bearings and .resultantv 'loss` of the working time of the' machine.

According-1y',an object of the invention is to' provide a, novel electrically and' 'automatically operated lubricating device for supplying oil to the working' parts of a machine', device or apparatus to be lubricated thereby and which new lubricating device is not dependent in any way for' its successful operation or for the performance of its lubricating function upon' the successful" and proper working operation and' condition of any of the parts of the machine, device or' 'container through' each' of the oil-conducting lines or oil' feed pipes'during each operation of the new lubricating device.

- that one or more of such valves -may-be rendered A further biect of the invention is to provide ineffective while others may be allowed to continue yin operation.

Other and further objectsof the ypresent invention will be apparent' from the following description and claims and are illustrated i-n the accompanying drawings which, by lway of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the 'bestmode in which I have contemplated yapplying those principles. Other embodiments of theinvention embodying the same or-equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the` art without departing from the presentP invention and the purview o1? the appended claims. y

Fig. 1 is -an elevational View showing'a ypreferred embodiment of theA new lubricating device, certain parts of the wall of the oil storage container `or reservoir and of oneof the-outlets therefrom being broken away to reveal the construction of `theoil control valves embodied in lthe new lubricating device; v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional plan view on line 2 2 in Fig. 1; y

Fig. 3 is yan elevational view of the newlubricating device shown in Fig. 1 as seen from the righ-t hand side in Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a top plan View 'of the new lubricating device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the oil storage;

container or reservoir beingl removed 'so as A`better to illustrate the construction and arrangementv of the time-controlled operating mechanism for the Oil releasing or oil-dischargingl valves;

Fig. 5 isa top plan view of theoil storage reservoir or container and of the manually adjustable devices for selectively controlling the operation of the oil-releasing valves; *t

Fig. 6 is a vhorizontal sectional view on line 5--6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a vfragmentary side elevational view illustrating the construction of the time-controlled' valve oper-ating mechanism embodied in the new lubricating device for controlling.- the operation of the oil-releasing valves and showing in generally indicated vat I5.

` certain parts of the operating mechanism for the when the oil-releasing valves are raised so as to release or discharge a quantity of oil from the oil-storage container or reservoir into the oil feed pipes;

Fig. 9 is a view on line 9-9 in Fig. 8, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, illustrating the construction and operation of the certain parts of the cam mechanism embodied in the new lubricating device for controlling the operation of the oil-releasing valves; Yand Fig. 10 is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating a suitable electrical circuit which may be embodied in the new lubricating device for energizing the electrical operating motoror solenoid embodied therein.'

A preferred embodiment of the new lubricating device is illustrated inthe drawings and is there- Said lubricating device comprises a supporting base I6 which may bemounted upon or adjacent toany power or hand-operated machine, device-or'apparatus having parts, such as bearings, shafts and the like,

which may be desired to lubricate by means of the new lubricating device.

rThe new lubricating device includes an oil storage container or reservoir I1 which is mounted on s upportin g legs I8 which are carried by the supporting base I 6. The oil cup or storage container I1 includes a base or bottom wall I3, which is attached to the supporting legs I8 (Fig. 1), atop wall 29, in which'an inlet opening provided witha hinged closure 85 is provided, (Fig.

5) ,and a transparent side wall 2l, through which the' height ofthe oil in the oil cup or storage container I1 may be seen. Y

The bottom wall I 9 oftheoil storage container I1 is provided with a group of radially arranged threaded openings, 22, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, and arrangedin each of these openings 22 is an Yexternally threaded'valve seat member 23. 'Provided in the upper surface of each of the valveseatmembers 23 isa recess or depression providing a valve seat 24 and each of the valve seat-members 23 has a central Ylongitudinally extending passage 25 formed therein providing an oil discharge outlet from the oil storage container or reservoir* I1. Each of the valve seat members 23 has an externallyv threaded lower portion 26, which is disposed below thebottomwall I9 of the oil storage container I1, and threaded onto each of these Aportions 26 is attingor coupling 21` each of which is provided with a sight opening 35 (Fig. 3) Each ofthese ttings orY couplings 21 is connected at its lower end, as at 28` to an oil feed line or pipe 29 by means of which oil may be supplied toa working part such, for example, as a shaftor bearingin the machine, device, or apparatus with which the new lubricating device is associated. A suitable packing 81 is mounted in the coupling'21'andV this packing 81 is provided at itsupper end with an air bleed passage 88 for preventing an air block in the tting or coupling 2 1.

' The new lubricatingvdevice includes a plurality of valve-'stems 36 which extend through the oil storage V'container o r housing I1.' Each of these valve stems 30 is'slidably mounted'in a, sleeve or bushing' and YtheseV Asleeves or bushings V3I al@ 4` mounted in the top wall Vof the oil storage container vor reservoir I1. At its lower end each of the valve stems 3ll'carr'ies a movable valve element in the form of a ball 32 and each of these balls 32 is engageable with one of the valve seats 24. A pin 33 is mounted in each valve stem 30 and la coil spring 34 is mounted on each valve stem between the pin 33 and the lower end of the corresponding sleeve or bushing 3l.

movable valve elements or balls downwardly into their lowered positions and thereby seat the movable valve elements or balls 32 upon their valve seats 24 so as to close the outlets 25 from the oil storage container or reservoir. I1 to the oil feed lines or supply pipes 29.

Each of the fittings or couplings 21 has a sight opening formed in its side wall and each of Figs. 1 and 3. Each of these members 36 hasV aV manually adjustable member in the formof a thumb screw.31 mounted in 'a threaded opening 31a which 'is provided therefor in its upperI wall 89 (Fig. 1`). A pair of aligned slots 38 is provided in opposite side walls'of each of the members 36 and an arm 39 of a spider 40 projectsthrough and works in' each pairv of aligned slots 38 in each of the members 36,"and the lower and-inner end portion of each of the thumb screws 31 is adapted to bear upon and toengage one of the arms 39.

As shownin'Fig. 5;'the arms 39 are radially arranged Vupon and relative to theV central portion 30 of the spider 40 and the spider 40 is mounted Vupon and is carriedvby a vertically movable cam roller-supporting -and valve-operating rod 4I. This cam rollersupporting and valveoperating rod 4I is'slidably mounted in a tubular guide sleeve or bushing 42 which is mounted centrally in and projects through the" body of the oil cup or storage container I1. Figs. 1, 3, 7 and 9, the camroller-supporting and valve-operating rod 4I has -a bifurcated lower end portion 43.r Pivotally mounted, as at 44, between the arms 45 of the bifurcated lowerend portion 43v of the cam roller-supporting and valve-operating rod 4I is a tongue portion 46 of a cam roller supportingmember 41 upon which-a cam roller 48 is rotatablymounted.

The cam roller 48 is engageable withla slidable.

cam track which is generally indicatedk at 49.V

This slidable cam track 49V has an inclined upper cam surface 50 which is provided witha laterally offset or curved central portion 5 I, best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The upper cam surface 5I) has a guide rail 92 at one end-.thereof which will be referred to hereinafter. i

'I'he slidable cam track '49 has a depending arm 52 at one end and this arm 5 2 `is connected, as'

by a screw 53, to a slide rod 54.V The slidable cam track 49 has a depending arm 63 at its otherV end and this arm 63 is connected, as by a screw 64 (Fig. 7), to the slide rod 54.

The slide rod 54 fis slidably mounted in a supporting and guide sleeve 55 which is formed as a part of a supporting bracket 56 and this support-A ing bracket 56 is mounted upon the supporting.`

Das@ I6 and is attached thereto, as at 51 (Fig.V 4)

Y These springs 34 normally urge the valve stems and the As shown in I A spring 58 has one end :portion attached, as. at 59, to the depending arm 512 of the slidable cam track 49 and .the other end vportion of this spring B is attached to. an arm '69' of an upright vstationary member 91 (Figs. i3 and 4), which is mounted upon the supporting base [6.

'I'he slide rod'54 has a rig-htangularly extending arm 62 at one end (Fig. 4). This viai-111162 has a forwardly extending portion 65 (Fig. 4') :which extendsv parallel to the main extentv of the slide rod 54 (Fig. 4). This. arm. 65 is connected, by Va pin 66, to the movable elementi or armature 6-1' of an electric solenoid 68. AS1 shown in the drawings, the solenoid' 68 is mounted, as at 69, upon the. supporting base 46.

As shown in Fig. 10 the electric motor 4or solenoid v68 is arranged in an electric circuit- 1U which may be connected, by leadlines` 11i, to a suitable source of current. The circuit 10 includes amanually operable starting switch 86 fory the electric operating motor M of the machine `or device with which the new lubricating device may be -used and the circuit 10 also includes an automatically operated control switch which is generally `indicated at 11. This control switch 11 includes va relatively stationary contact 12 which is carried by a .supporting member 1.31 which i-s-mounted -on the base I6 (Fig. 1). The control switch 11 also includes a relatively movable contact 14 which is mounted upon a resilient horizo'ntalh7 extending contact-supporting arm 1:5 and th'is lsupporting arm '15 is, in turn, mounted upon a-n upright supporting member or bracket-'16 which is attached to the supporting baseA I6 (Fig. y8)

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the horizontally extending contact-supporting arm 15, which carries the movable contact member 1-4 has antrpwardly angled end portion 18 and this upwardlyI angled end portion 18 rides the peripheryv of and is engageable in notches 19 and with' teeth 80 formed in a ratchet 8|. This ratchet 8f is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 82l and this shaft 82 forms a part oi a time-controlled device having the form of a clock mechanism l81")y which is mounted upon the supporting base i6. The clock mechanism 83 is shown as being of the hand'l wound type and is provided with. a handle or'fingcr grip 84 for winding a spring motor embodied thereiny (not shown). However, i-t will be understood that the clock mechanism or time-controlled unit 8'3 may be of any other and' suitable type such, for example, as an electrical-ly operated clock mechanism, or other suitable time-controlled device'.

Operation In thev operation of the new lubricating device.

a supply of oil' or like lubricant-.may fbeA poured into the oil cup or storage containerhlil, through' the inlet opening with which the closure 85is associated, the height of the oil in the container l1 being observable through the transparent side-l wall 2l thereof. l

As sh'own in Fig. 10, when the controlI switch 8S for the motor M'of the machine or device with which the new lubricating device is used isopen, the circuit 1i) to the solenoid 68 will be open, and the slidable cam track 49', the slide rod 54-, and

the armature or movable element, 61 of the sole'- noid 68 are disposed, under the action of the spring 5S, in the position in which ther parts are shown in Figs. 4 and '1 and in whichv position. the armature 61 of the solenoid 6851s extendedV relative to the stationary field vor :body of'v the solenoid 68,

- However, when the operatingv circuit 18 islenerr- 6. gized, by .closing-the manually operable switch 86 '.(Fig. 1.0) .the operating motor M for the machine or `device with which the new lubricating device is used and the solenoid 68 will both be energized and the solenoid 68 will thereupon pull its movable elementor armature inwardly, against the action-of the spring 58 (top to bottom as seen in Fig. 4 or right to left as seen in Fig. 1) This movement of the armature 61 of the solenoid 68 acts, through the pin 66, arm 65, and arm 62 to move the slide rod 54 and the cam track 49 inwardly (right to left as seen in Fig. 1 or top to bottom as seen in Fig. 4).

During this operation the cam roller 48 rides upon the inclined uppersu-rface 5i) of the slidable cam track 49 and this movement of the cam track 49 :acts through the cam roller 48 to raise the vertically slidable cam roller-supporting and valve operating rod l4| andthe spider 46 carried thereby. This upward movement of the cam rollersupporting valve operating rod 4l and the spider 40 ymounted thereon moves the radially extending arms-39 of the spider 49 upwardly in the slots 38' in the members 36 and during this upward movemen-t of the arms 39 in the slots 38 the arms 39 engage the lower end portions of the thumb screws 31 and thereby raise the .thumb screws 31, the members 36 and the valve stems 66, and the movable valve elements or balls 32 which are-attached to the lower end `portions of the valve stems 30. In ythis manner the movable valve elements or balls 32 are raised up out of engagement with the valve seats 24. Oil will thereupon flow from the oil storage container 21 into the feed or supply lines 29-to the parts to be lubricated thereby.

It will be noted, in this connection, that the valve stems 39 andv the movable valve elements or balls 32 are held in raised position, against the action of the resetting springs 34, during a part of the time interval during which the cam roller 48 is riding the straight portion of the upper surface 59 of the slidable `cam track 45. However, as' the cam roller 48 begins to ride ofi from the .straight portion 55 of the cam track 49 into the .cutaway area or opening 51a formed by the outwardly curved portion 5| of the upper surface of the' slidable cam track 49, the pressure of the then compressed resetting springs 34 on the valve stems 30 acts, through the valve stems 39, parts 36, spider 411 and rod 4| to force the cam roller 48 downwardly. Hence as the slidable cam track 49 continues to move (right to left, Fig. 7) the cam roller 48 -falls oli from the curved portion 5I`l of the cam track 49 into the indentation or cutaway portion 51a, `and during this movement of the cam roller 48 ofi from the upper surface 50`5-l of the slidable cam track 49 the downward pressure of the valve-resetting springs 34, acting through the spider 49 and rod 4i causes the bifurcated lower end portion 41 of the rod 4l to pivot at 44 into the position in which the part 41 and cam roller 48' are shown in Fig. 9. During this operation the springs 34 lower the valve stems 30- and thus reseat the movable valve elel ments or balls 32 upon their valve seats 24, thus preventing further flow oi oil from the oil storage cup `or reservoir |1- through the outlet passagesv 25 into the feed line or pipes 29 until another cycle of operations of the deviceis repeated.

At the beginning oi -a cycle oi operations oi the new lubricating device the'parts are disposed asin Fig. and the angled upper end portion it of' the resilient supporting arm-l5 ior the movable contact 154 oir thefcontrol switch it is disposed: in one of the-notches 19in the ratchet ci,

and the contacts 12--14 of the automatically operated control switch 11 are then in engagement `with each other. Likewise, when the manual'starting switch 86 is closed and the circuit 1U is energized and during the time `the sole-` noid armature 61 and slide rod 54 are moving inwardly, due to energization of the rsolenoid 88 (right to left, Fig. '7), the angled upper end portion 18 of the resilient supporting arm 15 for the movable contact-14 remains in the notch 19 in the ratchet 8|, in whichit was disposed at the start of the cycle of operations.

During this operation, however, the ratchet 8| is rotated (clockwise as seen in Figs. 1, 7 and 8), under control of the clock mechanism 83, and as the slidable cam track 49 and the armature 61 of the solenoid 68 approach the end of their inward movement or stroke (right to left, Figs. 7 and 8), the angled upper end portion 18 of the resilient contact-supporting arm 15 rides out of the notch 19 in the ratchet 8| in whi-ch it was engaged Aat the start of the cycle of operations and onto one of the teeth 89 of the ratchet'l. This'operation depresses the resilient contactsupporting arm 15 and Ythereby moves the movable contact 1'4-out of engagement with the stationary contactl 12, thereby opening the control switchv 11 and the operating circuit i8 for the solenoid (i1- 68. 'Ihe then tensioned spring 58 thereupon returns the solenoid armature 61, slide rod 54 and the slidableV cam track 49 to their initial positions, as shown iniFig. 7.

As'the slidable cam track 49, and the slide rod 54 and the solenoid armature 61 are returned to their initial positions, by means of the resetting spring 58, the bifurcated lower end portion 41 of the-cam roller-supporting and valve operating rod 4| and the cam roller 48 carried thereby are guided by the guide rail 92 back onto the upper surface 58 of'the slidable Ycam track 49 and into coaxial alignment with the body or main extent of the rod 4| (as shown in full lines, in Fig. 9). Accordingly, when the slidable cam track 49 has been returned to its initial position, as in Fig. '1, the cam roller 48 is again disposed in engagement with the upper surface 58 of the slidable cam track 49 in the position in which these parts are shown in Fig. 7.

It will thus be seen that the solenoid 68 will remain energized, and the operating circuit 18 thereforewill remain closed, until the time interval has elapsed which is required and necessary for the rotary cam element or ratchet 8| to rotate one circumferential step corresponding to the distance between the inner end of one of the notches 19 andthe rise or outermost point of the next succeeding tooth 80. Hence by controlling this interval the time interval required to complete a cycle of operations of the new lubricating device may be controlled.

Accordingly, the angled upper end portion 13 of the resilient contact-supporting arm 15 will thereupon ride off of the next succeeding tooth 88 in the ratchet 8| and will enter the next succeeding notch 19Vtherein. The movable contact 14 will then again engage the stationary contact 12 of the control switch 11, thereby again closing the operating circuit and again re-energizing the solenoid 68, whereupon the foregoing cycle of operations Will be repeated.

It will be noted that after the manual starting.

switch 86 has once been closed the operation of the new lubricating device is entirely under the control of the time-controlled mechanism 83 and isvthus independent Yof the operating motorM for,

8l and the operating parts of, the machine, device or apparatus with which it may be used so. that in the event of a failure of any of the operating parts of the machine, or apparatus or device with which the new lubricating device'is used'such failure will not aii'ect the operation of the new lubricating device itself. Hence one of the difficulties experienced heretofore in the use of prior art lubricating devices is overcome.

If and when it may be desired to render one or more of the valves 30-32-24 ineiective, that.Y

is to allow it to, remain closed, while allowing the other or remaining valves to be operated cyclically, in the manner hereinbefore described, this may readily be `accomplished by screwing the corresponding thumb screw 31 upwardly. Hence when the valve operating vrod 4|r and the spider 48 carried thereby are raised, by action of the slidable cam track 49 and cam roller 48, the arm 39 associated with the particular thumb screw 31 which Vhas been raised or screwed upwardly will merely move upwardly in the slots` 38 in the corresponding member 36 but will not engage thelower end of the thumb screw. 31 which has been so adjusted into ineffective position. Hence the corresponding valve stem 130 will remain in its lowered position and the valve 32-24 controlled thereby will remain'V closed while one or more of the remaining valves 311-- 32-24 are :allowed to operate.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides .a novel time-controlled lubricating device which has the novel and desirable advantages and characteristics, and accomplishes its intended objects, including Ythose hereinbefore pointed out and others whichA are inherent in the invention.

1. A lubricating device comprising an oil storage container having an outlet for directingl oil to a part to be lubricated; a valve including a movable valve element for controlling the flow of oil from said oil storage container through saidvalve outlet; means including a'vertically movable valve-operating member for moving the said movable valve element into open position; an electric circuit includingv a solenoid havinga movable element for operatingthe said valveoperating member; a control switch for closing and opening the said electric circuit; `and a timecontrolledV mechanism for closing and opening the said control switch; the said means for moving the said movableV valve element into open position including a slidable cam'track operable f by the said movable element of the said solenoid;

and a cam roller carried by the said vertically movable valve-operating member and engageable `with the said sliding cam track for moving the said vertically movable valve-operating A member into raised position 'and .the said movable valve element into open position,

2. A lubricating device comprising an oil stor-V agecontainer having an outlet for directing oil to a part to be lubricated; a valve including aV 9 trolled mechanism for closing and opening the said control switch; the said electric motor including a movable element; the said means for moving the said movable valve-operating member into openv position including a slidable cam track operable by the said movable element of the said motor; and a cam roller carried by the said vertically movable valve-operating member and engageable with the said slidable cam track for moving the said vertically movable valvev10 operating member into raised position and the said movable valve element into open position.

3. A lubricating dewce as dened in claim 2 in which said slidable cam track includes a curved portion and in which the said cam roller is pivotally mounted upon the said vertically movable valve-operating member for movement 01T from and onto the curved portion of the said slidable cam track.

FERDINAND A. GILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: 

